Harris praises goalscorer Taylor after second Millwall debut

MILLWALL boss Neil Harris said Chris Taylor deserved his winning goal against Sheffield United on Saturday for the positive attitude he has brought to the club.

Harris put Taylor straight into his starting XI and was rewarded within two minutes when the winger fired Steve Morison’s cross high into the net past George Long.

Taylor joined the club on Thursday after Wolves had recalled Jed Wallace from his loan spell.

The 29-year-old’s strike was his first goal this season after 15 appearances for Blackburn Rovers. It was the fourth goal Millwall have scored inside the first quarter of an hour in their last four games, but unlike at Doncaster and Swindon they held on for a crucial win that keeps them in the hunt for automatic promotion.

With nine games left the Lions are six points off Wigan, who are second, and four points ahead of Bradford, who they play next Saturday.

And Harris is glad to have Taylor – who played 26 games for the club in 2012-13 – on board for the League One run-in.

“He was in Thursday but obviously knows some of the players and the staff, which really helps,” Harris said. “He knows the club and that’s the most important thing.

“He brings experience but he also brings quality and professionalism. That’s really key. I’m delighted for him, he deserved the winning goal today because of his performance.

“But the biggest thing for me was his desire to come and play for us was huge. He’s been so excited, I’ve been speaking to him on the phone this week.

“He came in Thursday with a big smile on his face and he played like it. He put in a performance like he was pleased to be here. When you’re that happy you get your rewards and obviously it came early for him today.”

Meanwhile, asked what was the key to Millwall’s win over the Blades and their seventh clean sheet in their last 10 games in all competitions, Harris said: “Team spirit, to me, is everything. It helps the camaraderie and belief in what we do. It gives them belief in what we coach them during the week.

“They give everything and you could see that with the way they threw their bodies on the line with balls going into the box.

“At this stage of the season it’s tough to keep clean sheets and gain a point let alone three. To do that against a good team, a big club, I’m really pleased for my players.

They were very disappointed not to win last week (at Swindon) so to bounce back is really pleasing.”